Pneumatic injury pad



Dec. 22, 1953 c. A. CUSHMAN PNEUMATIC INJURY PAD Filed Dec. 20, 1950 //vvE/v7'n/? CECIL A CUSHMA V 17 W A Home partly in section;

Patented Dec. 22, 1953 UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE PNEUMATIC INJURY PAD Cecil A. Cushman, Redlands, Calif.

Application December 20, 1950, Serial No. 201,742

6 Claims. (01. 22)

- 1 This invention relates to a novel construction of injury pad for use by participants of games embodying physical contact of the players such as football, baseball, basketball and hockey to enable a player to participate with an injury, such as a bruise, without danger of having the injury aggravated.

- More particularly, it is an aim of the invention to provide a pneumatic pad adapted to be attached either to the body or to the clothing of the user having an opening therein to surround an injury or an injured area of the body without direct contact therewith and having means for shielding the injury from a direct blow and for equalizing the force of the blow over a relatively large area of the body surrounding the injury and which is engaged by the pneumatic portion of the, pad.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pad having a removable, substantially rigid shield section whereby shieldsections of difiervent shapes may be employed for protecting injuries to different portions of the. body having different contours and which will additionally assist in shaping the pneumatic portion of the pad to the particular contour of the part of the body against which the pad is disposed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pneumatic pad wherein only the pneumatic portion of the pad is in contact with the body whereby all blows striking the pad will be distributed over the entire area in contact with the body. 1 Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, illustrating presently preferred embodiments thereof, and wherein: I, Figure 1 is a plan view, partly broken away, showing a preferred form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view thereof taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 2--2 of Figure 1 and showing the pad as it will appear when in an applied position; 7

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a slightly different form of pad in top plan;

Figure 4 is a sideelevational view thereof,

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of the same looking from left to right of Figures 3 and 4;

Figure 6 is a plan view of a difierent form of shield for use with the pad; 1 V V Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof taken substantially alonga plane asindicated by the line 1-1 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 88 of Figure 6, and

Figure!) is a perspective view of another form of the shield.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, Figures 1 and 3 illustrate two of the pneumatic injury pads which are substantially identical in construction but diifer from one another only in the actual shape thereof. Furthermore, it will become apparent as the description proceeds that the injury pad may be made of various other shapes for adapting it to different parts of the body and to injuries of different sizes. The pneumatic injury pad as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 is designated generally in and the pneumatic injury pad as illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5 is designated generally lea.

The injury pad It includes an endless bladder, designated generally H, of the pneumatic type having an air valve 1 2 through which the bladder ii may be inflated to a desired pressure. Any desired form of air valve it may be utilized including an external type, as shown, or an internal type, not shown, which is disposed entirely within a portion of the bladder H. The bladder ll may be formed of any suitable material such as rubber or plastic which is impervious to air. The bladder H is formed of complementary top and bottom sections of a flexible material impervious to air the marginal edge portions of which are secured together in any suitable manner as by being vulcanized, if the bladder is formed of rubber, or welded, if the bladder is formed of a flexible plastic. These welded abutting marginal edges form an outer marginal flange i3 surrounding the bladder intermediate of its top and bottom surfaces and an inner marginal flange it which extends into the opening l5 defined by the bladder H.

A strip of flexible material it, preferably of substantially the same size as the bladder I I and which is preferably formed of the same material, is disposed over the top of the bladder. The two side edges and one end of the strip it are secured to the side portions and one end portion of the outer bladder flange It in any suitable manner, as for example in the same manner that the edge portions forming the flange l3 are secured together, that is, by vulcanizing or welding. The strip It combines with the upper portion of the bladder H to form a pocket for receiving a substantially rigid shield ll which may assume the form of a flat plate or strip, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, which may be formed of fibre,

leather, plastic or other suitable material which is preferably substantially rigid and relatively light in weight. If desired, the strip l6 may be sufficiently larger than the bladder i! so that sufiicient slack will be afiorded to insert the shield ll after the bladder is fully inflated or if the strip is is of substantially the same size as the bladder the shield H is inserted before the bladder l l is fully inflated and thus be effectively clamped between the upper portion of the bladder and the strip 26. The other, unattached end It of the strip it forms a flap between which end the upper half of the bladder the shield I! can be inserted into the pocket :9 formed by the bladder and strip it. The marginal edge portions of the flap :8 and the adjacent portion of the flange i -3 are each provided with lace receiving openings or eyelets 2e for receiving a lace 2i by which the flap I8 is secured to the flange i3 to releasably retain the shi ld I? in the pocket Hi. The side portions and if desired also the opposite end por" tion of the flange i3 and the portions of the strip it, which are secured thereto, are provided with openings or eyeiets 22 by which the pad 59 may be laced to the garment of the wearer.

As illustrated in Figure 2, the bottom portion of the bladder i l is adapted to be disposed against the part of the body, as indicated at 23 around a bruise or injury 23 which is thus disposed in the opening lie, so that no part of the pad is in actual contact with the injured area As previously stated, the pad iii may be laced to a garment of the user and thus retainedin its position of Figure 2 or the pad may be taped against the body surface it beyond the sides and ends of v the pad iii. The lace receiving openings 22 may also be utilized for lacing the pad it around a part of the body.

Figures 3, i, and 5 illustrate the pad its as being of elongated rectangular shape rather than square as shown by the pad it and so that the opening 55a is likewise of an elongated shape for receiving therein an elongated bruise or injury. Likewise, the shield lie is of elongated rectangular shape. Otherwise, the pad ida is identical in construction with the pad is and is applied and utilized in the same manner. t will also be readily apparent that the pneumatic pad may be made of various other shapes and of various sizes to accommodate injuries of different sizes and shapes to different parts 01" the body and in all cases the bladder of the pad is in the form of an endless tube defining a central opening of various shapes.

The shields El and Ila are shown as being substantially flat and would be used for protecting injuries to the back or any other flat-sun face of the body. Figure 9. illustrates a shield designated lib which is transversely bowed from end-toend thereof and which may be employed with either the pad is or the pad Elia in lieu of the shield ii or i'ia, respectively, or with pads of other shapes, which case the size and shape or" the shield would be varied while retaining its transversely bowed construction. The shield l'lb is employed with and as a part of a pad it or Illa to be applied to a rounded body part, as for eX- ample to the arms or legs, and similar shields of a lesser curvature could be employed with the pad for application to the shoulder, ribs, hips and kidney.

Figures 6, 7 and 8 illustrate another form of shield designated generally l'ic adapted for use with the pad when applied to the elbow or knee and which includes a plurality of overlapped jointed plates including corresponding end plates 25, an intermediate plate 26 and a pair of corresponding outer plates 2?. The side edges of the plate 25 overlaps the adjacent, spaced longitudinal edges of the plates 25 and the outer plates 2? have the portions thereof disposed interme diate of their side edges overlapping the overlapped portions of the plates 25 and 25. Flexible fastening means 28 which may be formed of elastic material extend through aligned openings 29 in the plates 25, 2t and 2'! which form the shield lie and said connecting means 23 are provided with enlargements or heads til at their ends which abut against the inner sides of the plates 25 and the outer sides of. the plates 2?. Each of the plates 25, 2B and 27 is bowed from end-to-end thereof and each of said plates is also slightly bowed transversely as well as longitudinally, as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, so that the shield lie is transversely and longitudinally bowed to more readily conform to the curvature of the knee and elbow when bent. It will also be apparent that the flexible, elastic connections 28 enable the plates to pivot relatively to one another for varying the longitudinal curvature of the shield llc when in use.

From the foregoing it will be readil apparent that a pad of extremely simple construction has been provided capable of being readily carried in a deflated condition so that an athletic coach or trainer may readily apply a shield of the proper type to a bladder of the proper size and shape to protect a particular injury and after inflating the bladder may readily tape or lace the pad to the body or to a garment for positioning the pad over the injury, as illustrated in Figure 2, so that the injury 24 cannot be aggravated by being again struck. Thus, the player may resume play without danger of aggravating an injury and any blow directed toward the injury will be received by the shield of the pad which will eflectively prevent any force of the blow from being transmitted to the injury. Further, since the shield engages substantially the entire area of the top of the bladder or inflated tube the force of any blow directed thereagainst will be cushioned by the tube or bladder and distributed uniformly thereover to all of the parts of the body around the injury or bruise against which the bottom part of the bladder is disposed.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

-I claim as my invention:

1. An injury protecting pad for athletes comprising an endless inflatable bladder having a bottom portion adapted to be disposed against the body of the user around an injury, said bladder defining an opening in which the injury may be accommodated, a relatively stiff plate'disposed against and supported by an outer, top side of the bladder and forming a shield, a flexible "covering strip overlying said plate and the top side of the bladder and secured along its marginal edge to an outer marginal edge of the bladder and combining with the upper part of the bladder to define a pocket .ifOl receiving the plate, and means for detachably fastening a portion of the marginal edge of the flexible covering strip to a portion of the outer marginal edge of the bladder to provide an opening in the pocket through which the plate may be applied thereto or removed therefrom. I

2. An injury pad as in claim 1, said plate being of rectangular shape and being transversely arced from end-to-end thereof, the concave side of the plate being disposed against the top side of the bladder for shaping the bladder to conform to the shape of the shield.

3. A pneumatic injury pad for athletes comprising an endless inflatable bladder defining an opening adapted to accommodate an injury, said bladder having an inner portion adapted to be disposed against the body around the injury, a flexible covering strip disposed over an opposite, outer portion of the bladder and secured along its marginal edges to an outer marginal portion of the bladder and combining therewith to define a pocket, and a relatively stiff light weight shield removably disposed in and substantially filling said pocket and supported by the outer part of the bladder yieldably with respect to the portion of the body engaged by the bladder and out of engagement with the injury around which the bladder is disposed, said outer marginal portion of the bladder being disposed intermediate of the inner and outer portions thereof and extending outwardly from the peripheral portion of the bladder to which the marginal edges of the flexible covering strip are secured, and connecting means detachably connecting a part of said outer marginal portion of the bladder to a part of the marginal edges of the covering strip whereby said last mentioned part of the marginal edges of the covering strip may be disconnected from the bladder for opening the pocket to apply the shield thereto or for removing the shield therefrom. V

4. An injury pad as in claim 3, said shiel being formed of a plurality of overlapping substantially rigid plate sections, and fastening means extending through the overlapped portions of said plate sections and flexibly connecting the plates to one another.

5. An injury protecting pad comprising an inflatable bladder having a bottom portion adapted to be disposed against the body of the user around an injury, a flexible covering strip overlying a top portion of the bladder and having a marginal edge portion secured to a part of an outer edge portion of the bladder between the top and bottom portions thereof, said strip combining with the bladder top portion to define a pocket, another marginal portion of the strip being detachably secured to another outer edge portion of the bladder for closing the pocket and forming a pocket opening when unsecured, and a rigid plate removably disposed in the pocket against the bladder top and forming a shield for overlying the injury around which the bladder is disposed.

6. An injury pad as in claim 5, said shield having a concave inner side disposed against the bladder for shaping the bladder to conform to the shape of the shield whereby the pad may be conformably shaped to a portion of the body against which it is to be disposed.

- CECIL A. CUSHMAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 967,004 Ehikian Aug. 9, 1910 1,090,446 Boynton Mar. 17, 1914 1,319,299 Meehan Oct. 21, 1919 2,251,018 Lookabaugh July 29, 1941 2,574,046 Logan Nov. 6, 1951 

